The invention relates to a pouring spout for bags having a spout inserted into a bag opening.
Bag pouring spouts of this type are known in practice. The spouts are generally inserted into a bag opening where they are heat sealed or glued to the bag. This entails a relatively complex and expensive manufacturing process on one hand. On the other hand, the pouring spout, which, in contrast to the flexible bag, is generally manufactured of a thicker, more stable material, is not reusable.
It is the object of the present invention to create a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to this known prior art.
This object is met in such a way that the pouring spout has clamping means that detachably hold the spout inside the bag opening such that it is sealed relative to the bag wall.
The spout that is inserted into and held on the bag in this manner is removable from the bag and reusable after the bag has been emptied.
The bag opening in the bag can be created simply by cutting off a bag corner diagonally. In this case the bag itself may be manufactured particularly cost-effectively simply from a straight tubular material. However, it is also possible, of course, for the bag to have an integral projection, which is cut off straight and into which the spout is inserted.
The clamping means is preferably a clip that encompasses the spout on both sides in a collar-band-like manner and holds the bag wall surrounding the spout clamped in relative to the spout.
In a preferred embodiment, the clip is formed clasp-like with two legs that are connected to each other on one end by means of a hinge, e.g., a film or material hinge, and which both have snap-in means on their other ends, such as snap-in noses or snap-in hooks that cooperate with the respective other leg.
Alternately, the clip may also be formed as a two-part collar band with two collar band halves that each have snap-in means on both ends that cooperate with corresponding snap-in means on the ends of the respective other half of the collar band.
The legs or collar band halves of the clip have, on their opposed insides, a clamping channel so that an opening is formed between the joined legs or collar band halves, in which the spout is held in a form-fitting manner. To provide for the best possible support for the spout between the legs or collar band halves and to attain a good seal of the bag walls relative to the spout, the insides of the legs or collar band halves of the clip and the outside walls of the spout each have grooves and/or tongues that cooperate with each other. The grooves and/or tongues preferably extend in the longitudinal direction of the legs or collar band halves so that the bag wall is clamped in between the groove and tongue along the entire length of the bag opening.
The spout and the clip or clip elements may be connected to one another by means of flexible webs. The spout preferably also has a closing means, e.g., a stopper, which is also connected to the spout by means of a flexible web. All elements that are connected via the flexible webs may be advantageously cost-effectively manufactured from plastic in one process step. Since all parts are interconnected it is not possible to misplace individual parts, so that the entire spout is always complete without having to search for the pieces.